Leonardo Da Vinci was born near Florence in Italy in 1452. Leonardo’s parents were not married. His father, Ser Piero, was a wealthy Florentine lawyer and his mother, Caterina, was a young peasant girl. He spent his early years with his mother but then lived in the household of his father, grandparents and uncle. His father went on to marry four times! Leonardo was a painter, architect and an inventor. He was a genius who defined the Renaissance.
Da Vinci was a huge animal lover. He even chose to be a vegetarian, something that was very unusual in those days! He was said to buy animals from the market just so he could set them free from their cages!
Leonardo was left-handed. But as well as using his left hand to write, he wrote back to front, from right to left across the page which meant that, for many years, people were unable to understand his notes. This kind of mirror writing led people to believe that Da Vinci wanted to keep his ideas secret! Leonardo obviously had an amazing mind but believe it or not, he never went to school! Instead he was taught reading, writing and maths at home.
The Mona Lisa is a portrait of the wife of a Florentine official. Apparently he ordered music to be played at every sitting so the lady’s smile would remain! Little did Da Vinci know that this was to become arguably the world’s most famous painting!
There are actually two versions of Da Vinci’s famous painting: The Virgin of the Rocks, the first, which he began painting in 1478, hangs in the Louvre. He later painted a second version which is in London’s National Gallery.
Leonardo was tall, at least 5 ft 8", athletic and handsome! As he grew older he wore his hair long, grew a beard down to his chest and wore brightly-coloured clothes, which was very different to other men of his time!
Leonardo’s surname Da Vinci simply means ‘of Vinci’, a Tuscan village not far from Florence, which is where his father’s family took their name.
Leonardo died in France in 1519.
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Editor/a: Consejería de Educación, Formación Profesional, Actividad Física y Deportes
Destinatarios: Alumnado, Familias, Profesorado
Áreas/materias: General
Autor: Consejería de Educación, CULTURA Y DEPORTES DEL GOBIERNO DE CANARIAS, Universidades
Licencia de uso: CC - Reconocimiento – NoComercial – CompartirIgual (by-nc-sa)
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